1. Field of the Invention
The subject matter of the invention relates generally to a volume comprising several pages without any binding, and more particularly, to a volume made by joining together the back faces of each pair of four-page sheets.
2. Description of Related Art
In the binding field, not much has been done to try to make spines which would not split when they undergo ordinary use. The splitting of the spine is very common in volumes that contain pages quite thick as to say albums for photos, postcards, stamps and so on, due to the fact that in this case the sheets and the volume are heavier than in normal volumes.
Up to now, none of the different types of binding used has completely solved this problem, although spines were made up making use of thick textile strips glued to the spines with a quick setting adhesive.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an absolutely resistant binding, which will not split even if it undergoes strong stresses as hanging an entire volume holding one page only between two fingers.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.
The above and other objects and advantages, which will be apparent to one of skill in the art, are achieved in the present invention which is directed to, in a first aspect, a plurality of contiguous sheets forming an album capable of holding together under stress. A plurality of pages are defined by outer edges of the sheets and a hinged portion traversing the sheets for folding the sheets. The sheets are preferably rectangularly shaped and the hinged portion is about a 90xc2x0 angle from one of the outer edges. The sheets include at least four the pages, and the pages include an internal face and an external face having a bonding portion. The internal face may include a sleeve adapted to receive a photograph. The sheets are attached on the bonding portion of the external faces such that the outer edges of the pages are parallel, and the plurality of attached contiguous sheets form the album having a predetermined number of the pages.
A related embodiment of the present invention includes the internal faces of the pages including a first frame extending adjacent to the outer edges of the sheet. A second frame is attached to the first frame and adjacent to a perimeter of the first frame. The second frame has smaller dimensions than the first frame. The first and second frames are attached to the page adjacent to at least one of the outer edges of the sheet. The first and second frames define a gap between the first and second frames and the page for receiving the photograph.
In a related aspect the second frame includes a perimeter dimension which is less than the perimeter dimension of the first frame. The page has four edge portions defined by the outer edges of the sheet and the hinged portion. The first and second frames are attached to the page adjacent to three of the edge portions and unattached adjacent to a fourth edge portion. The unattached portion of the frame defines the gap along the fourth edge portion wherein the gap is dimensioned to receive the photograph. The gap may also be along a spine side of the album.
In another related aspect of the present invention the plurality of contiguous sheets may further include a cover joined to a back portion of the sheets, where the back portion includes the hinged portion of the pages.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a plurality of contiguous sheets being rectangularly shaped and forming an album capable of holding together under stress. A plurality of pages are defined by outer edges of the sheets and a hinged portion traversing the sheets at about a 90xc2x0 angle from one of the outer edges for folding the sheets in about equal portions. The sheets include at least four pages, and the pages include an internal face and an external face having a bonding portion. The sheets are attached on the bonding portion of the external faces such that the outer edges of the pages are parallel and the plurality of attached contiguous sheets form the album having a predetermined number of the pages.
In a related embodiment of the present invention the internal faces of the pages include a first frame extending adjacent to the outer edges of the sheet. A second frame is attached to the first frame and adjacent to a perimeter of the first frame. The second frame has smaller dimensions than the first frame. The first and second frames are attached to the page adjacent to at least one of the outer edges of the sheet. The first and second frames define a gap between the first and second frames and the page for receiving a photograph.
In a related aspect of the present invention the second frame includes a perimeter dimension which is less than a perimeter dimension of the first frame. The page has four edge portions defined by the outer edges of the sheet and the hinged portion. The first and second frames are attached to the page adjacent to three of the edge portions and is unattached adjacent to a fourth edge portion. The frames define the gap along the fourth edge portion wherein the gap is dimensioned to receive the photograph. The gap for receiving the photograph may be along a spine side of the album.
In another related aspect of the present invention the plurality of contiguous sheets may further including a cover joined to a back portion of the sheets where the back portion includes the hinged portion of the pages.
Yet another aspect of the present invention provides a method of creating an album capable of holding together under stress comprising a plurality of rectangularly shaped contiguous sheets. The sheets are folded to provide a hinged portion and a plurality of pages having about equal dimensions. The pages are defined by outer edges of the sheets and the hinged portion which traverses the sheets. The hinged portion may be about a 90xc2x0 angle from one of the outer edges. The sheets include at least four of the pages, and the pages include an internal face and an external face having a bonding portion. The sheets are attached on the bonding portion of the external faces such that the outer edges of the pages are parallel. The plurality of attached contiguous sheets form the album having a predetermined number of the pages.